GS-BS - Geological Sciences (BS)
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Program Overview
The purpose of the undergraduate program in Geological Sciences is to provide students with a broad background in the fundamentals of the Earth and planetary sciences and the quantitative, analytical, and communications skills necessary to conduct research and think critically about questions involving the Earth and other planets. The major provides excellent preparation for graduate school and careers in geological and environmental consulting, land use planning, law, teaching, and other professions in which a background in science and an understanding of our and other planets are important.
The major requires at between 58 and 74 units; letter grades are required in all courses if available. Students interested in the major should consult with the Assistant Director of Student Services for information about options within the curriculum. It should also be recognized that the Geological Sciences are heavily dependent on the other sciences and that any undergraduate in the Geological Sciences should be looking to supplement their major course work with classes in Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. Those outside courses are appropriate depending on the background, goals, and interests of the individual student and can be explored with the faculty advisor.
Students must complete a set of six (6) courses that introduce the properties of planetary materials, the processes that change the Earth and other planets, and the timescales over which those processes act. These courses provide a broad foundational knowledge that can lead to specialization in many different disciplines of the geological and environmental sciences. While these courses are not considered pre-requisite for any other courses, all must be taken at some point during each student’s program of study.
Students choose from a series of electives that broaden exposure to the fields represented within geoscience. These courses consist of classroom lectures, which in many cases, are augmented by field and laboratory components. Students must take eight (8) of these courses during their program of study. At least six (6) of these courses must be 100-level courses from GEOLSCI.
Gaining hands-on research with the scientific method under the guidance of a faculty mentor is a requirement for all majors. Each student must complete a total of six (6) units of research, guided by one or more faculty mentors. Students are expected to produce a thesis, which may be suitable for submission to a disciplinary journal, at the conclusion of their research projects.
Each student’s educational program culminates in a capstone experience as a senior. The capstone experience can take one of two forms.
First, students may elect to take a departmental capstone course in which they will use the scientific knowledge they have gained to address a real-world, applied problem chosen by a faculty instructor. Students will work in design teams to use their geoscience background to understand the particular problem, and to apply their knowledge to design workable solutions to the chosen problem. Students are expected to present this in the form of written reports and oral presentations, which may be evaluated by a panel of non-profit specialists in the chosen area.
Second, students may elect to participate in a field study program to fulfill their capstone experience. In this case, students must complete at least six weeks of field research either through departmental offerings (course Research in the Field) or an approved outside offering. Field research allows students to learn and apply field techniques, field mapping, and then prepare a written report.
The honors program provides an opportunity for year-long independent study and research on a topic of special interest, culminating in a written thesis. Students select research topics in consultation with the faculty adviser of their choosing. Research undertaken for the honors program may be of a theoretical, field, or experimental nature, or a combination of these approaches. The honors program is open to students with a GPA of at least 3.5 in GS courses and 3.0 in all University course work. Modest financial support is available from several sources to help defray laboratory and field expenses incurred in conjunction with honors research. Interested students must submit an application, including a research proposal, to the department by the end of their junior year.
Upon approval of the research proposal and entrance to the program, course credit for the honors research project and thesis preparation is assigned by the student's faculty adviser within the framework of course Honors Program; the student must complete a total of 9 units over the course of the senior year. Up to 4 units of course may be counted towards the elective requirement, but cannot be used as a substitute for regularly required courses.
Both a written and oral presentation of research results are required. The thesis must be read, approved, and signed by the student's faculty adviser and a second member of the faculty. In addition, honors students must participate in the GS Honors Symposium in which they present their research to the broader community. Honors students in GS are also eligible for the Firestone medal, awarded by Academic Advising for exceptional theses.